Results tagged with 'seven wonders of wisconsin'

Articles:

In 18 summers of visiting Door County, I was starting to think I'd seen it all. Over the years, I've explored the peninsula by car, on foot and on bicycle, from above the treetops on a zip line and next to a campfire. The natural beauty of the area, though, always played second fiddle to the activities, shopping, good food and great people I've experienced on these annual trips. This year, it was time to put nature first.

Eagle River, located in the stunning Northwoods, is surrounded by miles and miles of pine trees. It's on a chain of 28 lakes, the largest connected freshwater chain on the planet, and is a world-class fishing destination. The food and nightlife are top-notch, too.

You have to really love waterfalls to make the 400 mile, seven-hour drive to Pattison State Park in Superior. But when you get there, you'll be greeted by Big Manitou Falls. Really, the word "big" doesn't do it justice. The fourth largest waterfall east of the Rockies is jaw-droppingly big, actually. It seems like a natural marvel you'd see streaming from a mountain, but certainly not in far northwestern Wisconsin.

Maybe it's because of the area's amazing natural beauty, or perhaps because it's so far away from everything - a seven-hour drive from Milwaukee if you don't dawdle - that Bayfield and the biggest and only populated of the Apostle archipelagos, Madeline Island, draws a special type of tourist and resident. It's a well-kept secret that needs to be let out.

While planning next week's trip Up North, I started wondering just how much of Wisconsin I've seen over these last 37 years. So, I downloaded a map and started drawing on it, including the route I have planned for next week.